An Important Used Car Hidden Damage Warning for Used Car Shoppers

What many used car shoppers don’t know is that a used car can actually have flood damage without ever having been in a flood. Here’s a hidden damage warning for used car shoppers that is easy to detect and even easier to prevent with your own car when fall arrives.

Used Car Hidden Problems

Previously we’ve discussed the importance of doing a vehicle inspection whenever thinking about buying a used car. Whether you do it yourself or hire a mechanic you trust to evaluate a used car, it is 2nd most important consideration you have to take when it comes to used cars. The 1st most is making sure the car being sold is not stolen---yep, that actually happens.

Today we are discussing flood damage, but of another type than that of flooded cars being repaired and flipped without any warning that the vehicle had previously been submerged under water---which happens incredibly often according to car analysts.

The type of flood damage we are talking about is when cars with a sun roof have drain holes that are plugged; and, cars that have dirty cowl vents that led to debris getting sucked into the HVAC system. Both events are fall leaf related, and both can cause significant damage to a car that winds up hidden.

What prompted this hidden damage warning for used car shoppers is a recent YouTube video from the Car Care Nut who explains what happens when car owners fail to properly maintain their vehicles during the fall when leaves begin to…well…fall.

While the video is more about good car maintenance to keep your car at its best, it clearly is a good demonstration of yet another vehicle inspection point to add to your checklist before deciding on buying a used car.

Hidden Damage Images Due to Plugged Sun Roof Drain Holes

To show, that a leaking sun roof can lead to hidden damage, posted below are a few images of car floor damage taken from the video:

Fall Maintenance Every Car Owner Should Do

That said, here is the Car Care Nut YouTube video that is an excellent demonstration of the right and wrong way of taking care of your vehicle’s sun roof drain and cowl vents that should be a fall car maintenance procedure every car owner should do, as well as serve as a warning to used car buyers when buying a car from someone who did not properly maintain that used car and what to check to see if there is a problem.

2 Things That Damage Your Car This Fall Season and How To Fix Them!

And finally…

For additional articles about good values in used cars today, be sure to take a look at “Consumer Reports on How to Assess a Used Vehicle’s True Value” and the “The Most Important Used Car Test You Should Do Before Deciding to Buy a Used Car.”

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Timothy Boyer is Torque News automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily automotive-related news.